ANGOLA: Internally displaced people increase, 3/9/199

JOHANNESBURG (IRIN) - The number of internally displaced
people (IDP) in Angola has risen dramatically to 650,000
since fighting resumed in earnest in November.

Franceso Strippolli, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator
in Angola, told journalists in Geneva on Friday that
the numbers of IDP's before Novermber had reached 350,000,
but that this had increased to 650,000 since the rebel
UNITA movement intensified its attacks on government-held
territories.

Strippolli said every battle raised the possibility
of an increase in the numbers of IDPs as people sought
refuge in the main cities away from the war. Most of
the IDPs are also malnourished and suffer from diseases
like malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhoea.

Strippolli added that the most affected areas are Malanje,
Huambo and Kuito where UNITA has besieged the cities.